Crab trap



M- W. GATCH July 31, 1934.

GRAB TRAP Filed. April 9, 1934 v f. W K

supporting members g,

Patented July 31, 1934 f: y

UNITED STATES PATENT DFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in wire crab traps of a well-known type in which the trap is composed of bottom and side sections loosely hinged together and a top section which is detachably connected to the bottom section by suitable uprights. My invention relates particularly to the top-supporting devices.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete trap, set up ready for use, and,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the bottom and side sections, unfolded, illustrating the manner of connecting the supports to the bottom section.

As shown in the drawing, the trap is composed of several rectangular sections, each section comprising a wire frame with a suitable number of Wire strands extending between its opposite sides to form a coarse mesh. Thus, the bottom section a comprises a square frame a having the side bars 5, 6, 7 and 8 and a suitable number of cross strands, and the top section b comprises a similar frame b' and cross strands. The side sections, c, d, e and f are the same as the top and bottom sections, but of slightly less width. Each side section is loosely hinged to the bottom section by suitable means such as wire loops 1 which extend over a side bar of the frame of the bottom section and are welded or otherwise connected to a side bar of the side section.

For supporting the top section, I provide two similar supporting members g, y', each consisting of a metal rod bent into U-form, having its end portions 2 in the same plan and its central portion 3 offset laterally from the plane of the end portions. The part 3 is straight and nearly equal in length to one of the side bars of the bottom section, and the parts 3a of the central section, which connect the part 3 with the end portions 2, are inclined at a slightly acute angle to the latter. The end portions 2 terminate in hooks 4 which are adapted to receive a side bar of the top section.

In setting up the trap the bottom and hinged side sections are laid on a suitable supporting surface and unfolded as shown in Fig. 2. The y' are then attached to the bottom section at opposite sides thereof by passing their end portions downward through meshes in the corners of the frame. After the supporting members have been inserted, as shown in Fig. 2, and passed downward until thc offset parts 3a of said members engage the adjacent side bars, such as 6 and 8, of the bottom section, these members are rocked about said side bars to the upright position. Opposite side bars of the frame of the top section are then pressed into the open hooks 4, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The hooks are sc formed that the side bars of the top section will snap into the hooks and will be held therein so that they cannot be displaced 60 except by a strong upward pull on the side bars.

It is to be noted that when the trap is set up as in Fig. 1, each top-supporting member is fulcrumed against a side bar of the bottom section and the offset part 3 of each supporting member 65 extends over and rests upon the cross strands .r

of the bottom section which prevent inward rocking movement of the parts 2 beyond the vertical position, while the top section, engaging the hooks, ties the two supporting members together. The parts 3a of the top-supporting members abut against the inner sides of the side bars 5 and 7 so that these members cannot slip longitudinally of the bars 6 and 8. Thus the upright portions of the members g and g are held securely in place at the corners of the trap.

As the top and bottom sections are square and of the same dimensions, the top-supporting members may be attached to the side bars 6 and 8 of the bottom section, as shown, or to the side bars 5 and 7, and any two opposed side bars of the top will fit into the hooks on said members.

To dismantle and fold the trap, the side bars of the top section will be pulled out of the hooks, freeing the top, and the top-supporting members may then be rocked outwardly through an angle of degrees and then pulled upwardly through the corner meshes of the bottom section. The side sections may then be folded over the bottom section and the top section may be laid flat onz 90 the folded side sections.

The trap operates in the same way as traps of this type. Strings 9 connected to the free ends of the side sections extend under the adjacent side bars of the top section and are connected to a hand-line 10. An upward pull on the line causes the sides to close against the top and by a further upward pull on the line the closed trap is lifted. When the trap is lowered on to the bottom of a body of water and the line is slackcned, the side sections fall outward by gravity, thus opening the trap.

What I claim is:

A wire crab trap comprising rectangular top and bottom sections, each composed of a frame m5' and strands extending across the frame and side sections hingedly connected to the bottom section, and supports for the top section detachably connected to the bottom section at opposite sides thereof, each support comprising a L17-shaped rod' 1.10

corners, and the end portions of the rod extending upwardly from said offset portion, and said top section having its opposite side bars detachably connected to the ends of said rods.

MILTON W. GATCH. 

